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Globe Trekker "East Africa" on WXXI-TV

Globe Trekker "East Africa" on WXXI-TV

Thu, 03/04/2010 - 10:00pm - 11:00pm

Credit: Globe Trekker

A tour of Tanzania in East Africa includes the island of Zanzibar, which was once a home to the slave trade; the Selous Game Reserve and the Gombe Stream Chimpanzee Reserve, which is run by Dr. Jane Goodall.

Traveller Ian Wright begins his African adventure on the historic island of Zanzibar. Zanzibar is a former slave trading centre and it is here that he discovers the horrors of the Arab-dominated slave trade that continued until 1922, and the work of antislavery campaigners like Dr David Livingstone. Ian also enjoys the lighter side of life in Zanzibar as he wanders through the food markets of Jamituru Gardens and samples the cuisine of the 'Spice Island'.

Ian heads to the mainland to the bustling capital of Tanzania, Dar Es Salaam, and on to the world's biggest game reserve, Selous. The highlight of his journey through the Selous Game Reserve is a river safari on Lake Tagala, keeping a safe distance from the crocodiles and hippos that populate the lake.

Tracing the footsteps of the explorer Dr. Livingstone, Ian travels to the western edge of Tanzania to scenic Kigoma, and then on to the Gome Stream Chimpanzee colony run by famed anthropologist Dr. Jane Goodall.

Further east, in Arusha, Ian bargains with touts who are preparing for a safari to the Ngorongoro Crater, including a meeting with the Masai tribespeople. Next day Ian takes an early morning hot air balloon ride over Tanzania's most famous game park, the Serengeti, populated by over 1.5 million wild animals.

Ian concludes his trip to East Africa by spending an exhausting week climbing to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest mountain.